At the start of the month, Health & Protection brought readers news of Naomi and Heather Greatorex coming together to launch Heath Mortgage Solutions.
But the pair is not the only mother-daughter duo operating in the sector.
In this special mini-series Health & Protection spoke to other mother-daughter combinations working in the sector to hear their stories and advice on making it work.
Health & Protection spoke to Joanna (pictured left) and Bella (pictured right) Streames, owner and managing director of Mortgage and Insure Services respectively, about having each other’s backs, the importance of setting boundaries and being a mother and daughter first.
The pair also touch on a situation in the first year of working together where Joanna had to make her own way home after a disagreement with Bella on their way to work.
Challenging first year
“The first 12 months were… let’s call them character building,” Joanna tells Health & Protection.
“We had to figure out working patterns, boundaries, and how to keep our tempers in check.
“There was even one memorable morning when Bella drove me to work, we had a disagreement, and she told me to make my own way home.
“That was a fun one to navigate, but we stuck with it, worked through the bumps, and came out stronger on the other side.”
Something just clicked
Bella maintains that if she could go back in time and tell her younger self that the pair would still be working together all these years later, she would have been shocked.
“It was a real learning curve,” Bella says.
“I was very young at the time, and like most young people – I didn’t love being told what to do, especially by my mum, both in life and at work.
But she adds that after that first year, something just clicked.
“We found our rhythm, learned how to communicate better,” Bella continues.
“And we started to really respect each other’s strengths. Now, I can’t imagine it any other way.”
Trust is everything
Joanna is adamant that the protection sector in particular enables this sort of working relationship to thrive.
“Trust is everything in our world,” she says.
“Whether we’re arranging someone’s mortgage, protecting their income, or setting up private health cover, clients are putting their family’s security in our hands.
“Having a team built on complete trust means that flows through into every recommendation we make.
“People can feel when you genuinely care, and as a mother–daughter team, that’s at the heart of how we work.”
Bella agrees, adding: “In any business, trust is essential, but in the mortgage, protection, and health insurance sector, it’s absolutely critical.
“We’re dealing with some of the biggest and most personal decisions in people’s lives, so having a strong foundation of trust between us helps set the tone for how we treat our clients too.”
Having each other’s backs
A further advantage is this working relationship enables the pair to have each other’s backs, according to Bella.
“That deep, unconditional trust we have as family creates a really solid base, not just for our working relationship, but for the advice and support we give our clients,” Bella continues.
“People can sense when a team is genuinely aligned, and I think that helps us build strong, lasting relationships with them.
“There’s also a shared sense of purpose in this industry, we’re helping people feel secure, protected, and supported.
“Doing that alongside someone you care about so much just makes the work feel even more meaningful.”
Mother and daughter first
According to Joanna, the duo are very much aware that they remain mother and daughter first.
“We try hard not to let that play out in a way that’s unfair,” Joanna continues.
“But I’d be lying if I said the level of trust isn’t different, it has to be. We know each other inside out, which makes communication quicker and decision-making more instinctive.”
It also helps that the pair are now both directors in the business, Joanna says, as this removes any potential for Bella to be treated differently in the office.
“If anything she gets everyone ganging up on me and being the butt of the office jokes,” Joanna says.
“It just works and we don’t have a problem with that ever.”
Bella adds: “It keeps things light and shows the team that while we’re family, we don’t take ourselves too seriously and embeds a bit of fun in our culture.”
No-filter approach
Though Bella concedes that the pair do treat each other differently in some ways.
“We have a total no-filter approach and can be completely honest and upfront with each other, which actually works in our favour,” Bella says.
“There’s a level of trust and familiarity that means we naturally expect more from each other too.”
Though she emphasises this is never allowed to interfere with the team dynamic.
Shared vision
Elaborating on the specific advantages to their working relationship, Joanna points to complete trust in each other’s intentions and a shared vision for where the business is going.
“The ability to pick up on non-verbal cues and adapt quickly,” Joanna continues.
“Naturally having the same morals and ways of thinking – when you hire, you look for cultural alignment, and here it’s already built in. That makes it easier to lean on each other and to keep the culture consistent when recruiting and growing the team.
“Clients see our relationship and know we genuinely care about family which is exactly what mortgages, protection, and health cover are all about.”
Bella agrees this deep level of trust the pair have in each other is vital for them and the business.
“We’re completely aligned in our values and motivations, and that creates a really strong foundation – both professionally and personally,” Bella says.
“I grew up hearing about what my mum went through and losing her own mum at a young age and being left to care for her 12-year-old sister at just 19, with no financial protection in place.
“I’ve heard so many stories about my nan and wish I could have met her and so that helps me with speaking to clients to explain what mum has been through.”
That experience left a lasting impact, Bella reveals: “It’s what drives both of us to do what we do.
“We’re so passionate about making sure other families don’t have to face that kind of struggle, and that shared purpose gives our work a real emotional core.
“We also work really hard, but we laugh just as hard, too. That mix of shared drive and genuine fun makes our working relationship not only effective, but something we both genuinely enjoy.”
An unplanned hiring
However, in spite of their positive working relationship, Joanna reveals that hiring her daughter was not expected.
“Hiring Bella wasn’t planned at all, it was only ever meant to be temporary,” Joanna says.
“She was working for a surveyors at the time, with a half-hour lunch break, and as a type 1 diabetic she needs time for medical appointments, to eat and inject, and to pick up prescriptions regularly.
“It got to the point where she felt uncomfortable going to her appointments, and there was the eye-rolling behaviour – “oh, she’s off again” – instead of support.”
And then a day came that changed both of their lives, Joanna reveals.
“One day, at the height of it all, she rang me from the toilet in floods of tears because she hadn’t had time to eat and wasn’t allowed to eat at her desk after a delayed prescription pickup,” Joanna says.
“I told her to hand in her notice and come to me temporarily, and we’d figure it out.
“I wasn’t ready and I’d only just set up the business, but family comes first, so we made it work.
“Little did we know she’d give up the events company she was building successfully, fall in love with financial services, and absolutely thrive.
“It was totally unexpected for both of us, but brilliant – she loves it, and she was made for this job.”
For her part, Bella reveals she is impulsive and rarely thinks too long before making a decision.
“I remember going to the toilet, calling my mum in a complete state, and she just said to hand my notice in, so I did – right there and then.”
Falling in love with protection
Bella adds that at the time she was also in the process of setting up her own events company, and working with her mum was only meant to be a part-time thing.
“But, as it turned out, I completely fell in love with the insurance and protection world and fell out of love with the events industry,” Bella explains.
“I ended up selling the business and going all-in with this.
“Of course, we had our fair share of ups and downs early on – I was mostly doing filing for the first six months. But looking back now, that impulsive decision turned out to be the best I’ve ever made.
“I always say thank you to my mum for birthing me and giving me a career.”
Setting boundaries
Joanna has a number of top tips to make working with a family member work.
“Set boundaries early – what you’ll talk about at work and what you’ll leave at the door,” Joanna says.
“Sometimes you will have bad days, but don’t make it personal as you will get past it.
“Remember that trust is your biggest asset – if you have it, you can get through anything.
“Treat them like you would any other valued team member, but never lose sight of the fact they’re family.”
Mapping strengths and weaknesses
Bella maintains the first step should be to map out your strengths and weaknesses of both yours and your family member’s.
“Be honest about what each of you brings to the table, and figure out how to complement each other’s skills,” Bella says.
“That way, you can create a balanced team that plays to everyone’s strengths.
And if you are sharing the workplace with other employees, it is crucial to keep personal issues out of it.
“Family dynamics can be complex, but it’s important to stay professional and focused when you’re at work,” Bella says.
“Finally, define clear roles and responsibilities early on. When everyone knows what they’re accountable for, it helps avoid confusion and potential conflict down the line.”